Formation.

The days passed peacefully once more.

After being named the second prince, my life became much more comfortable. Obtaining materials became simpler, along with many other benefits.

I need to make the most of this moment to accumulate as many resources as possible and set my plan in motion. That's why I decided to leave the empire only after reaching level 20, when I'll need my second Soul Ring.

My daily routine changed slightly with Zhu Zhuqing's arrival at the mansion. Along with her came new maids, prompting me to use my aura-vision ability to identify who is truly loyal.

Since she's still a child, Zhu Zhuqing isn't as cold as in the original story. In fact, she's rather quiet and somewhat tearful. I don't blame her; after all, she was taken away from her family to live in an unfamiliar place surrounded by strangers. It's natural for her to feel scared.

That's why I added a new habit to my routine: visiting Zhu Zhuqing every day.

One day, I found her crying in the pavilion near the lake where I usually train. I must admit, I'm weak against crying women, especially when it's a little girl like her. Zhu Zhuqing always chose the same spot to shed her tears.

With my status as the second prince of the empire, I managed to get her a special gift—something I believed she would like.

"Zhu Zhuqing." I gently tapped her shoulder, startling her like a cat whose tail had just been stepped on.

"What is it?" She wiped her eyes and nose on her sleeve.

"I didn't expect the third daughter of the Zhu family to be so tearful." I smiled, teasing her lightly to break the heavy atmosphere.

"I wasn't crying, Second Prince." Zhu Zhuqing replied with a cold face, though the redness in her eyes betrayed her. Despite being only three years old, her maturity exceeded that of children from my past life. The strict upbringing of a noble family was evident.

"Haha, no need to deny it. Look at the gift I brought for you." I handed her a box I had hidden behind my back.

"Thank you, Second Prince." Zhu Zhuqing accepted the gift with a serious expression, though I could sense her curiosity through her aura.

"Go on, open it." I encouraged her. This was an expensive gift chosen based on my memories of the manhua. I hoped I had made the right choice.

With a bit of hesitation, Zhu Zhuqing slowly opened the box. As the last ribbon came undone, a tiny head emerged from within—a kitten.

The animal's fur was pure white, soft, and silky, reflecting light with a gentle glow as if it emanated a pure aura. Its deep blue eyes resembled a clear sky or the depths of a crystal-clear lake, glinting with innocence and mystery. The triangular ears had slightly pink tips, and its elegant snout had a rosy nose that matched its paw pads. Its long, graceful tail swayed gently, exuding an aura of royalty.

Zhu Zhuqing's eyes sparkled at the sight of the kitten.

Of course, this wasn't an ordinary cat. According to Sister Daydream, it was a cub of a Soul Beast at least 10,000 years old. Although it was being sold as a 3,000-year-old Wild Soul Beast Cat cub, Daydream assured me the sellers didn't know its true value.

Even though it was expensive, I bought the kitten. Naturally, the money didn't come out of my pocket—it came from the imperial treasury.

"What do you think of my gift?" I asked with a smile.

"Second Prince, I can't accept this... We're not allowed to keep animals in the Zhu family." Zhu Zhuqing shook her head, refusing the gift.

In response, I gave her a gentle flick on the forehead.

"Forget the Zhu family. You live with me now. Here, I allow you to keep the kitten." Zhu Zhuqing rubbed her forehead, visibly uncomfortable.

"Unless... you can't take care of it. In that case, I'll take the cat back." I stroked the kitten's head with my finger.

"I... I want to take care of it." Zhu Zhuqing hesitated for a moment but answered in a soft voice.

"Good. Then promise me you'll take good care of this little one. Otherwise, I'll take it back." I spoke seriously. I didn't want to see my fiancée mistreating such an adorable animal.

"I promise. I'll take good care of her." Zhu Zhuqing gently hugged the kitten, her voice filled with determination.

"So, did you like the gift?" I asked again, amused.

"I liked it a lot, Second Prince." For the first time, I saw a sincere smile on her face.

"Then call me Big Brother Bai." I laughed internally. Remember, nothing in this world is free. I did all this for this moment.

"What?..." Zhu Zhuqing looked at me, surprised and embarrassed.

"Come on. Since you liked the gift, I at least deserve a 'Thank you, Big Brother Bai.'" I said with sparkling eyes. Since I was born into this world, everyone around me has been older. Finally, I had the chance to be the older one.

"Thank you... Big Brother Bai." With her face completely red, Zhu Zhuqing spoke so softly it was barely audible. Thanks to my sharp senses, I managed to hear it.

She ran off with the kitten while I watched with a satisfied smile. In the background, Jiangqi gave me a disdainful look.

"I didn't raise you to be like this, Young Master Bai." She sighed in exasperation.

-------------------------------

A few days later, in a secret room.

"Done. Finally finished!" I exclaimed, proud as I completed the masterpiece I had been working on for so long.

An intricate circle of runes was drawn on a platform, surrounded by several pillars.

"Little Mubai, is this the teleportation formation you mentioned?" The soft voice of sister Daydream echoed in my mind.

"Exactly! With this formation, we will be able to teleport easily from one place to another." I responded mentally, excited. "But unfortunately, we can't use it yet... There is no other teleportation formation connected where we could go." I sighed, disappointed.

Formations are very different from Talismans. They only require time and materials, but with enough knowledge, it's possible to create even a high-level formation, regardless of my current cultivation.

This specific formation will allow me to return to the mansion from any other teleportation formation. With this, I will be able to travel across the continent, and if I get tired, return to the empire without difficulties.

However, there are limitations. At least two connected teleportation formations are required for the teleportation to work. Additionally, energy is another issue.

In the Douluo Dalu continent, there are no items like spirit stones to serve as an energy source. That's why I included an Absorption Rune and a Storage Rune in the formation, so it can gradually accumulate energy. However, this takes time.

"I haven't finished the Spiritual Formation yet, so it will take some time before this formation gathers enough energy." I sighed again, frustrated. Working with formations and talismans is like pouring resources into a bottomless pit.

To overcome this difficulty, there is the Spiritual Formation, capable of attracting energy much more quickly and efficiently, in addition to creating a cultivation area. I even considered building it in my Spiritual World, but since the Teleportation Formation requires an energy source, I decided to install it in the mansion.

The Spiritual Formation pulls energy from the outside world into its interior. On the other hand, my Spiritual World, for now, is not capable of generating its own energy. All the available energy there essentially comes from sister Daydream, and the formation would just gather her energy, something she can do on her own.

Moreover, my Spiritual World functions as a "separate dimension." Even if a Teleportation Formation were installed and connected to others, the amount of energy needed to perform a teleportation from one dimension to another would be absurd — the equivalent of a thousand Daydreams. Therefore, it makes no sense to create a teleportation formation there, especially considering that I can take anything into the Spiritual World just by holding it in my hand.

"Anyway, how's the book going, sister Daydream?" I asked, curious. She seemed quite absorbed in the reading.

"This book is fascinating. It's almost as if it describes an entirely different universe. Are you sure it's from this world?" The confusion in her voice was evident.

"It might be a lost item from another world that the empire found by chance and kept in the royal library. With millions of books there, it's easy for something like that to go unnoticed." I laughed.

"That makes sense... I was wondering if some techniques described here could be replicated." Her voice took on a thoughtful tone.

"Now that you mention it, I think it's possible. I was so focused on formations and talismans that I didn't even consider that idea." I scratched my chin, pondering the possibilities.

"Okay. I'll finish reading the book and list the abilities we can adapt. I'm excited about this!" I could feel the determination in her voice, as if she were clenching her fists in excitement.

"Good luck, sister Daydream. I'm counting on you!" I responded, sending a mental thumbs-up. She's really amazing and helps me so much.

"Ugh... D-A-I M-U-B-A-I, I already told you not to call me sister!" Her indignant shout echoed in my mind. But I knew that sooner or later, she'd get used to it.